Seoul High Court to Decide Fate of Mayor Oh Se-hoon's Political Funds Appeal
An appeals court will rule on whether Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon loses his seat over a political-funds case involving paid opinion polls.
On Friday, the Seoul High Court will announce its ruling on the appeal filed by Mayor Oh Se-hoon concerning a political-funds scandal tied to opinion polls before the 2021 mayoral by-election. Oh is accused of having a supporter pay Myung Tae-kyun 33 million won for ten separate polls, a charge partially upheld by a lower court that imposed a 10 million-won fine and ordered the amount forfeited. Both Oh and special counsel Min Joong-ki's team have appealed; Min's side is pushing for an 18-month prison term and full forfeiture.
Under the Political Funds Act, any elected official fined 1 million won or more must vacate office, putting Oh’s fifth term at risk. The sentencing hearing was broadcast live at 2 p.m., and Oh maintains his innocence, arguing he would not have asked a supporter to pay on his behalf.
Why it matters
The ruling could remove Seoul's mayor, affecting governance in South Korea's capital and setting a precedent for political-funds enforcement.
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